10 Lifestyle Changes for Those with High Blood Pressure

If you have just received news that your blood pressure is high, it might be time to make some immediate lifestyle changes. Here are ten of the healthy lifestyle methods you need to follow to keep your blood pressure in check.

  1. Weight Loss

Blood pressure is directly linked to obesity. The more your weight, the higher your chances of high blood pressure. Being overweight also is a contributing factor to sleep apnea, which can further raise your blood pressure. Losing 1 kg of weight can lead to a decrease in 1mm Hg of blood pressure.

  1. Regular Exercise

Thirty minutes of daily exercising can reduce your blood pressure by 5-8 mm Hg. However, physical activities need to be regular to have effect. Stopping the activities can lead to an increase in blood pressure again.

  1. Healthy Diet

Follow the DASH diet. DASH is an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Your diet should contain whole grains, fruits, vegetables. Dairy products should be low fat which have lower saturated fat and cholesterol contents. Following such a diet can help to decrease 11mm Hg of blood pressure.

  1. Sodium Reduction

It is imperative to reduce sodium content in your diet to reduce blood pressure. A small cut in salt intake can reduce pressure by 5-6 mm Hg. The absolute upper limit should be 2300 mg of sodium per day. Limiting it to 1500 mg per day is ideal.

  1. Alcohol Reduction

Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can actually be good for blood pressure control. However, exceeding one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men can lead to higher blood pressure and interfere with medication.

  1. Quit Smoking

In the immediate aftermath of smoking, the blood pressure is elevated. Regular smokers, therefore, have higher blood pressures. Quitting smoking can have a measurable effect on your health.

  1. Caffeine Reduction

Drinking coffee or any other caffeine agent can raise your blood pressure up to 10 mm Hg. However, it does not affect all people equally. Monitor your blood pressure after drinking to see its effect on you.

  1. Stress Reduction

Stress leads to higher blood pressure directly if it is chronic. If it is occasional, it can contribute indirectly due to your higher consumption of unhealthy food or drinking or smoking.

  1. Monitoring

Use a blood pressure checker regularly at home to see your blood pressure levels to keep them in control.

  1. Get Support

Getting support from family and friends can help you take care of yourself and reduce stress. All this can reduce blood pressure.


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